BMW Alpina B3 Bi-Turbo (2013) first official pictures

Alpina has revealed the first teaser shots of its hot 3-series supersaloon, the B3 BiTurbo, which packs 404bhp and 442lb ft. It's a BMW M3 by another name. The nitty gritty technical details will be revealed in full at next week's 2013 Geneva motor show, but for now read on for the spec of Alpina's potential giant-killer...

What's under the bonnet of the 2013 Alpina B3 BiTurbo?

Alpina is BMW's semi-official tuner, meaning it's got easy access to all the best bits and pieces to create extra-fast Beemers. So the B3 BiTurbo uses BMW's 3.0-litre straight-six engine from the current 335i. In standard guide the turbocharged six-pot churns out 302bhp and 295lb ft, but as the BiTurbo name suggests, Alpina's doubled the turbocharger count, upping the outputs in the process by 102bhp and 147lb ft.

Is the Alpina B3 BiTurbo faster than a BMW M3?

Yes: it hits 62mph in 4.2sec (four-tenths quicker than the M3) and sails on to 190mph – no pesky 155mph limiter here. However, there is a caveat here to BMW's upstart cousin nuking the performance of the iconic M3. A new M3 with its own twin-turbo straight-six, and packing 444bhp, will arrive in the UK next spring.

The Alpina B3 is automatic only, unlike its M Division rival. It's an eight-speed transmission, driving the rear wheels in UK-bound B3s. Alpina will sell four-wheel drive B3s in mainland European markets, but the system doesn't fit in right-hand drive cars thanks to alterations needed in the engine bay.

Is the Alpina as thirsty as an M3?

Mercifully not, according to Alpina's figures. The B3 BiTurbo returns 40.9mpg and emits 177g/km of CO2. CAR's E92 M3 long-termer was officially rated at 2.5mpg, often struggled to top 20mpg, and its 414bhp 4.0-litre V8 coughed out 263g/km with the dual-clutch auto 'box. Oh, and to make the B3's figures even more impressive, the 335i on which it's based returns 39.2mpg and 169g/km.

What else is new about the Alpina B3?

The usual Alpina cues: a sporty bodykit with double tailpipes and optional pinstripes are all evident in these teaser shots of the new B3 BiTurbo. Plus there's adaptive sports suspension too, and trademark multispoke 20-inch wheels.

You can order the Alpina B3 BiTurbo now, as a saloon or a Touring estate, and the first customer deliveries will be in the summer. in Germany a rear-drive B3 costs €65,500, so you'll need over £50k to own one in the UK.